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Q&A
Council Member Brannan questions DSS on various programs and initiatives
2:41:38
·
4 min
Council Member Justin L. Brannan engages in a Q&A session with DSS Commissioner Molly Wasow Park and other officials, covering topics such as the SHARE program, Wi-Fi in DHS shelters, direct cash assistance pilot, budget needs, and the domestic violence shelter system. The officials provide updates on program launches, funding allocations, and current capacities.
- The SHARE program launched in March after delays due to funding and procurement processes
- Nearly all family shelters now have Wi-Fi, with funding allocated for remaining sites and operating costs
- The domestic violence shelter system generally meets demand, but faces challenges with matching family compositions and locations
Justin L. Brannan
2:41:38
I want to ask about the SHARE program, Special Housing Assistance Resource Program.
2:41:44
Has the program launched?
Carlyn Cowen
2:41:45
Yes.
Justin L. Brannan
2:41:46
Okay.
2:41:46
Do we know why it keeps getting delayed?
Molly Wasow Park
2:41:48
It has launched.
Justin L. Brannan
2:41:52
When did it launch?
Molly Wasow Park
2:41:54
In March I believe.
2:41:57
So when the funds were appropriated at the state, they created this rental subsidy program and then virtually immediately clawed back most of the money for New York City.
2:42:10
And there was an extended process back and forth with the state to determine how much was left in that allocation from what they had clawed back for how much we could use.
2:42:22
So that added some time.
2:42:24
And then the second source of delay was given the nature of the population that we're serving, and we really needed to have a contracted entity.
2:42:37
We couldn't use these normal mechanisms that we had to pay rent, so we went through a procurement process.
2:42:44
We have hired Anthos Home to be the administrator for that, but now that we have the contract in place we are off to the races and we have had households move out of shelter already.
Justin L. Brannan
2:42:57
Okay.
2:42:57
Just a couple more from me bouncing around here.
2:43:00
Wi Fi at DHS shelters.
2:43:02
How many DHS shelters currently have Wi Fi?
Molly Wasow Park
2:43:06
Virtually all of the families with children's shelters have been wired for Wi Fi that started during COVID.
2:43:13
The funding that was included in the executive plan is for a few remaining sites and to help with ongoing operating costs.
Justin L. Brannan
2:43:21
Okay.
2:43:22
That's good to hear.
2:43:24
The direct cash assistance pilot, as part of the FY twenty six budget response, our budget response, we called on the administration to allocate $4,700,000 to create a direct cash assistance pilot program to support justice involved individuals, including those who have recently left incarceration, who live in communities with the highest rates of gun violence.
2:43:46
No funding was added in the executive plan for these two initiatives.
2:43:50
Does HRA foresee any funding being added to support those initiatives?
Molly Wasow Park
2:43:56
We're happy to talk to OMB about that.
Justin L. Brannan
2:43:58
Okay.
2:43:59
Are there any new needs that you asked OMB for that you're still waiting to hear back?
Molly Wasow Park
2:44:06
We are in constant engagement with OMB about our budget.
2:44:10
We've talked about a number of the places where there are distinctions between the FY twenty five spending and FY '26 budget.
2:44:20
Those are ongoing conversations but we appreciate the partnership with OMB and as I say we're in regular communication.
Justin L. Brannan
2:44:28
Okay, last question from me.
2:44:30
Does HRA feel that the current domestic violence shelter system has enough capacity to fully meet the level of demand?
Molly Wasow Park
2:44:40
This is something that we look at regularly.
2:44:41
We do routinely have vacancies.
2:44:44
There can be sometimes misalignment between household size or specific geographies, but we do routinely have vacancies in the DV system.
2:44:56
But Administrator Franch, anything you'd like to add?
Scott French
2:44:59
No, think that really covers the level of facilities that we have.
2:45:04
We do think covers the city, but there is oftentimes a challenge at times around boroughs or family composition, and matching that up with what might be available.
2:45:13
But we have a very close relationship with DHS, and we've also implemented a process as well to connect people to DHS where the DV system, either they may have timed out, because there are time limits to domestic violence emergency shelters, where households can stay up to one hundred and eighty days, but then do need to transition.
2:45:35
And if there's not availability that meets what they need in the tier two system for DV, we have a fast track process with DHS to place individuals directly into sites that meet the different, you know, requirements that those families may need.
Molly Wasow Park
2:45:49
And just to clarify, that time limit is a state requirement.
Justin L. Brannan
2:45:54
Okay.
2:45:55
Alright.
2:45:56
I'm gonna hand it back over to the deputy speaker.